Chapter 30: You trapped me
Kang Shi liked to enjoy himself, and indeed, the mattress worth over a million was far more comfortable than the hospital bed in the lab.
The only downside was that someone was hugging him too tightly. Yu Yan found himself trapped in the blanket all night, unable to move his hands or feet freely, and had to roll around left and right to free himself.
In the morning, he discovered that he had wrapped himself in the blanket, and trapped 012 underneath. It felt like 012 had been somewhat squished.
Even when squished, 012 wouldn’t let go. What kind of obsession was this?
Not having to go to work, Yu Yan didn’t even want to get up for breakfast and continued lying in bed.
He kicked the blanket aside and leaned against the headboard, enjoying a leisurely morning.
It would have been perfect if a butler in a tailcoat had brought red tea to his bedside.
But at present, all he had was a sticky piece of candy in a black vest stuck to his side.
012 pressed his head against Yu Yan’s abdomen, wrapped his arms around his waist, and tangled his legs with Yu Yan’s.
In the early morning, Yu Yan felt particularly lazy and couldn’t be bothered to argue with him, remaining still and letting 012 hold him.
Seeing that Yu Yan didn’t refuse, 012 immediately took advantage and draped his wings over him as well.
Yu Yan squinted at the trembling wings on him. Despite the damage, the wings were still beautiful, with silver-gray down that reflected light like satin.
He felt a sudden urge to touch them, brushing against the direction of the down to make the feathers stand up. It reminded him of when he used to pet stray cats downstairs at home, which would later scold him every time they saw him.
012’s wings stopped moving. Noticing his emotional state from above, Yu Yan grew more excited and brushed against all the down feathers on his wings.
Just as he was enjoying himself, he was pressed onto the pillow. Yu Yan had been prepared; he quickly grabbed another pillow and used it to push 012’s head away, flipping him over with a bit of finesse.
“I’ve learned my lesson; trying the same old tricks won’t work,” Yu Yan said, twisting his wrist.
Seeing Yu Yan’s smug expression, 012 suddenly curled his lips, and his previously indifferent demeanor became lively. He fluttered his wings slightly and then lunged at Yu Yan again.
“Still not convinced?” Yu Yan thought. “This isn’t your bird’s nest, and I was ready for you. Do you think you can get the upper hand?”
In the early morning, they wrestled and fought on the bed, causing feathers to fly around in a chaotic scene.
Yu Yan didn’t play fair; noticing that wings were 012’s weak spot, he focused his attacks there. With his dark hands, he eventually launched a surprise attack on the base of 012’s wings, making him let out a high-pitched bird cry.
Defeated, 012 tightly pursed his lips and folded his wings, no longer daring to spread them freely.
Yu Yan patted the feathers stuck to his hands and sneezed twice.
Having been controlled by a light little bird in his own nest before, Yu Yan had long wanted to “redeem himself.” With his successful counterattack, he felt refreshed and victorious.
His terminal beeped twice, signaling a call from Kang Qian, the eldest sister of the Kang family. Yu Yan stopped 012, who was eager to continue “playing,” and walked over to the window to answer the call.
Since Second Brother Kang’s return without success, the Kang family had continued to try and contact him.
Initially, their attitude had been strong, but with Zhou Xiangcheng’s worsening condition and coma, and their inability to reach him, the frequency of their harassment had decreased significantly.
Moreover, Second Brother Kang, after his trip to the research institute, might have developed a psychological trauma and was reluctant to contact him again, so it was Big Sister Kang who stepped in.
Yu Yan suspected that Big Sister Kang was reaching out this time due to some new developments regarding the Zhou family.
He was right. Big Sister Kang did not bother with pleasantries and went straight to the point, asking him if he knew about the Zhou family’s situation.
“We’ve received information that something major might have happened with the Zhou family, but the specifics are unclear. All we know is that Young Master Zhou might be dead. Do you have any news from your side?”
“I’m just recovering from my illness every day; what news could I have?”
“Doesn’t Miss Zhou like you? Hasn’t she contacted you? Don’t you think you should actively inquire about the situation?!” Big Sister Kang’s expression showed her dissatisfaction with his inability to become a charming pretty boy.
“Third Brother, don’t blame us for pressing you before. The Zhou family is powerful. Although our Kang family has some small standing in Fifth District, we can’t compare to the Zhou family. For the sake of the family’s future, sacrificing you was unavoidable.”
“Now that the Zhou family’s situation is unclear, we don’t want to force you into danger. It’s better to know what happened as soon as possible so we can deal with it accordingly, don’t you think?”
No useful information was provided, only pointless chatter.
Yu Yan didn’t want to entertain this and began to cough loudly.
He coughed directly at the projection of Big Sister Kang, causing her to instinctively lean back and avoid the cough.
“Is your illness not getting any better?” Big Sister Kang asked with forced concern.
“Cough, cough, Big Sister, you don’t understand. The virus I’m infected with is currently untreatable. I’m afraid I won’t live much longer. I’m waiting to die at home now. Since we’re family, shouldn’t my brothers and sisters come to see me before I pass?” Yu Yan asked knowingly.
“… You should focus on recovering. Contact me again if there’s any news,” Big Sister Kang abruptly ended the call.
Such cold family ties. If it were his own siblings, upon hearing that he had an incurable disease, they would immediately come to deliver flowers. Even the Fourth Brother would personally make a wreath.
Yu Yan wandered into the bathroom to brush his teeth and spent some time browsing various research forums and gossip groups.
As he went downstairs with his terminal, he contacted another gossip-loving senior researcher, Li Shang, from the lab to dig up some information.
Throughout this time, 012 was still trailing behind him.
Yu Yan asked, “Ou you wa o shush ya sheesh?” (Do you want to brush your teeth?)
He handed 012 a toothbrush but deliberately didn’t explain how to use it. After observing Yu Yan’s actions for a moment, 012 clumsily tried to use it.
After finishing his own brushing, Yu Yan left without waiting for him. 012 immediately dropped the toothbrush and followed.
Not feeling like cooking for himself today, Yu Yan ordered a lavish meal to be delivered.
Yu Yan enjoyed his meal on his own, while 012 remained hungry by his side.
Although Yu Yan didn’t have much of an appetite due to feeling unwell, he still deliberately ate happily.
“It’s really delicious. How is it? Hungry? Want some food?”
Yu Yan’s intention was to tempt him, but it didn’t work.
012 calmly watched him eat and even seemed quite happy. After Yu Yan finished, 012 stubbornly pressed his head against Yu Yan’s belly and rubbed it.
Their species were different, and Yu Yan wasn’t aware that feeding a partner was part of 012’s genetic nature.
Male mutated white bats, during food shortages in winter, might even willingly become food for females and offspring.
Male mutated ribbon birds would attract females to their nests, and once the females settled in, all food would be provided by the males.
Regardless, he was full, and 012 would only feel reassured.
Back in the lab, whenever Yu Yan watched videos of himself eating, 012 would always keep an eye on him eating in the office.
“You’re really quite clingy,” Yu Yan said, pushing his head away.
What was with this behavior? The food he just ate was about to be squeezed out by him.
Today, Yu Yan switched to a documentary, a children’s educational program. It covered various general knowledge and introduced different household tools.
012 sat beside him, watching. After a while, he noticed that Yu Yan was nearly falling asleep from boredom.
“Show it to me?” 012 asked.
“Why else would I need to watch this?” Yu Yan squinted. “Some people look big and tall, but don’t even know that hot water is scalding.”
After the educational program, there was a social science documentary introducing the composition of society. Yu Yan also pulled out several TV dramas.
According to rumors, these dramas were based on the underground city in the outer district, but the creators never admitted it, only saying they were inspired by some slum.
Around five hundred years ago, severe pollution led people to establish barriers in the last clean areas, relocating most healthy surviving humans to new residential zones, now known as the Central District and several surrounding areas.
Nowadays, most people spend their whole lives within the barrier walls. They only know that outside the barrier, there are many abandoned polluted zones where humans would suffer various diseases if they stayed too long.
There are also wastelands occupied by mutated creatures, where one could easily be eaten by these creatures if not careful.
But were there humans surviving outside the barrier? Of course, there were, and quite a few.
They were descendants of those who had been left outside the barriers and some who had been expelled from the residential areas due to crimes, making for a complex mix.
According to a secret data report, the human residential areas now have a population of ten billion, while outside the barriers, there are nearly two billion people, though these two billion are considered “invisible” population.
The outer city’s underground is a mysterious place, bustling with contraband, criminals, and precious treasures. It is a haven for robbers, assassins, and bounty hunters.
Even in the media that refuses to acknowledge its source, there are many stories of assassins and hunters, treasure hunts, and thrilling adventures.
Yu Yan watched the main character parkouring through the ruins and remarked, “Cool, their skills are impressive.”
After watching the thrilling TV dramas, he switched to a lifestyle channel where a gentle female host was teaching some household tips.
By the end, Yu Yan had already fallen asleep leaning against the sofa. Only 012 was still watching as the host explained how to organize clutter to make home spaces tidy and spacious.
“In our daily lives, there are many tips for turning waste into treasure. For example, this beautifully packaged item, it would be a waste to throw it away after use, so we can transform it…”
Yu Yan woke up to this voice, and still half-asleep, thought he was at home in the original world.
His fourth brother, Yu Shi, loved to watch such lifestyle programs.
Crafting tips, how to clean stubborn corners, how to arrange a cozy home, how to pick fruits and vegetables, and what detergents can remove stubborn stains from clothes, and so on.
“Fourth Brother, pour me a glass of water,” Yu Yan mumbled with his eyes closed.
After a while, he fully woke up and remembered where he was.
He sighed inwardly. Just as he was about to sit up, a hand supported his neck, and a cool glass of water was brought to his lips.
Yu Yan: “…”
It wasn’t the Fourth Brother, but 012.
He didn’t hesitate and drank the water right away. After all, as a patient, he thought, it was only natural to be treated this way.
“Alright, no more,” Yu Yan said, closing his eyes and waiting to be placed back on the sofa. Instead, he was lifted up, and he felt a cool sensation on his lips.
The moisture from the water was licked off.
You’re really something, Sixth Brother!
Yu Yan opened his eyes abruptly, resigned to pulling out his medicine kit to clean his face with disinfectant cotton.
“If you can’t control yourself, sit over there, and stay away from me.”
Doesn’t he know there could be viruses in his saliva? He rolled up a piece of disinfectant cotton and casually flicked it at 012’s forehead.
012 asked, “Can I kiss after disinfection?”
Yu Yan: “No.”
Don’t get the order wrong, you idiot. It’s supposed to be disinfected after being licked.
In the evening, it started raining heavily outside.
Yu Yan opened the sliding door and walked out to the rain porch. As expected, 012 followed him.
Seizing the opportunity, Yu Yan suddenly kicked him into the rain.
The cold rain pelted down, and 012 turned to look at Yu Yan, who was standing under the rain porch with his arms crossed, smiling.
012 recalled the disinfection room in the laboratory and remembered being asked if he had ever been caught in the rain.
The rain outside was different from the “rain” in the lab. It didn’t have any strange smell or cause the skin to sting.
The curtain of rain connected the heavens and the earth, with no end in sight, and the rainwater carried a variety of complex scents.
It felt very freeing.
Wet and dripping, 012 stepped onto the floor of the rain porch, leaving a puddle behind.
Yu Yan said to him, “Yao’er, now that you’re free, don’t confine yourself anymore.”
“Just leave here.”
**TN
That’s it for today, no 3rd update later. :/
